Grace
by nattylovesjordy
Summary: They argue and disagree, but they always forgive. Two-shot.
1. His Grace For Her

_I do not own _Bones_ or _Coldplay_. Part one of two. Enjoy. _

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><p><em><strong>"<strong>Where do we go to draw the line?  
><em>_I've gotta say I wasted all your time, oh honey honey.  
><em>_Where do I go to fall from grace?  
><em>_God put a smile upon your face.__**"**_

_**~ God Put A Smile Upon Your Face by Coldplay**_

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><p><strong><span>Grace<span>  
><strong>_His Grace For Her_

Anyone who knows the pair knows they bicker. Whether about marriage, his romantic entanglements, religion, or a case-related decision, the two constantly have an undercurrent of disagreement.

Whenever she says she does not believe in marriage, that it is simply an archaic and antiquated ritual that no longer fits with modern times, he feels a thrust of pain in his abdomen. It is almost as if she does not believe in him, does not believe that they could be so much more.

Someday, though, he will persuade her. Maybe not on marriage, but at least a similar relationship without such a daunting title—a monogamous relationship with one other person for the rest of time. While he may not have changed her mind yet, she has changed his. If she could only promise to be with no one but him for the rest of their life, he would graciously take it.

Whenever she pokes and prods around into his romantic involvement with other women, a small part of him always hopes it is because the thought of him with another woman irks her. He does not mean it maliciously, as a medium of payback, but he hopes it means she has feelings, _something_, towards him. Even if it is not the same magnitude as his feelings for her, he always hopes.

Regardless of that hope, though, he knows it is the scientist within her, the squint trying to educate herself on modern-human behavior. He often tries to explain feelings to her, sometimes with examples of how he "feels" towards other women and, other times, with examples of how he feels about her.

While he does not enjoy hearing her thoughts on marriage, especially with the added low blows in her explanations, he has learned to take her comments. As a gentleman, he does not give out details of his relationships, but to win her over, he is plenty willing to explain love to her as much as love can be explained. Religion, though, he is not sure they can ever compromise on.

They argue about existence and faith. She has faith, but only in him, and he wants her to have faith in God, as he does. He cannot imagine any type of heaven without her in it. She admitted to believing in signs, which, for an empiricist as driven by evidence as she is, is a huge feat. But, no matter how much he may try to explain the concept, her definition of faith will always be skewed.

She had faith in him when she was buried alive because he had previously _proven_ to her that he could take care of her. Faith involves blind trust, and she did not trust him blindly. He was given opportunities to show her, but she does not give the same to God. For all of these reasons, including her naivety on the subject, they disagree.

Even through all of their disagreements, including the ones they fail to compromise on, he forgives her. He forgives her partially as a way to demonstrate his religious beliefs to her. Grace, unconditional forgiveness for a mistake without imposing judgment or punishment, is as important as love and honesty. Other than for religious reasons, he assures himself that therapy taught him an important lesson: going into the field together on bad terms never ends ideally. (Well, that and sometimes she is dead on when she says psychology is a soft science). But, more than biblical and psychological reasons, he shows her grace because she deserves it and he loves her.

She is a child, a fledgling struggling to understand a world other than the one that broke her then growing heart. He knows that she speaks anthropologically and reasonably to mask the questions she has, to disguise her changing opinions and uncertainty in her answers. He knows she is curious because she truly does not understand, and he could never begrudge someone of figuring things out, even if her way about it is clumsy and occasionally a bit too overt and strong-headed. He mostly fields her religious inquiries because her curiosity shows the consideration of change.

While they may argue and she often greatly angers him, he shows her grace because he loves her and only wants to help her find herself and the answer to all of life's questions. As long as she is curious, she will need him. So he shows her grace to keep her around, hopefully long enough to complete her transformation and for his opportunity to arrive.


	2. Her Grace For Him

_I do not own _Bones_ or _Coldplay_, but I can make my phalanges dance. Part two of two. Enjoy, and thank you for reading/responding. _

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><p><em><strong>"<strong>__Look at the earth from outer space,  
><em>_Everyone must find a place,  
><em>_Give me time and give me space,  
><em>_Give me real don't give me fake,  
><em>_Give me strength, reserve control,  
><em>_Give me heart and give me soul,  
><em>_Give me time, give us a kiss,  
><em>_Tell me your own politik.__**"**_

_**~ Politik by Coldplay**_

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><p><strong><span>Grace<span>  
><strong>_Her Grace For Him_

Anyone who knows the pair knows they bicker. Whether about marriage, his romantic entanglements, religion, or a case-related decision, the two constantly have an undercurrent of disagreement.

Whenever she hears him sigh when she brings up her thoughts on marriage, she feels an irrational pain in her thoracic cavity. Her heart begins to feel heavy, as if made out of lead instead of layers of tissue, and impossibly presses on her lungs. Her diaphragm seemingly spazzes, and the combination results in labored breathing. She understands the scientific explanations behind the physical reactions, but has only yet begun to comprehend the emotional impetus behind them.

His disapproval is like a small rejection, like what she is willing to give him is not enough. She knows, now, that there is no one else for her, but does not feel the need to give into societal rituals to prove her devotion. However, she also feels guilty for hurting her partner, for re-affirming time after time that she cannot give him everything he desires. She wants to give him everything, to fulfill all of his dreams, no matter how ridiculous. (With his child-like nature, she is sure there are some ridiculous ones). Every time, though, her inhibitions stop her, and she sees nothing past the mound of evidence against marriage.

She has learned a lot from him, and about him, over the years spent as partners. At first, in the early days of their partnership, she asked things about him out of pure curiosity. She never thought much further into her questions past the knowledge that sex made him squeamish. With Rebecca and Tessa, it was honest curiosity and she always thought it was "something partners do."

With Hannah, she tried to avoid asking as many questions to protect herself. However, whether consciously or not, she kept tabs on them. A many disagreements came from their discussions, and while he and Hannah were together, she could not change his mind. However irrationally, she still hoped a day would come when she would no longer feel the need to ask about other women in his life.

Religion, though, she sees no way of agreeing on. As she told him, if there was any time she would pray it was when she and Hodgens were preparing to detonate the airbag explosives when they were buried alive.

The way she sees it, she can put her faith in him. He was the one who dug her from the ground. He was the one that got blown up by the refrigerator instead of her. Most recently, he pulled her off the street and out of the car's path. He re-introduced her to the meaning of family and helped her move past her transgressions and issues. He has saved her in so many different ways, so many times, and she sees no reason to add a new variable into the equation.

Even through all of their disagreements, including the ones they fail to compromise on, he forgives her, as she does him. She does not deserve his forgiveness for everything she puts him through, consciously or not. Sometimes, she does not want to forgive him, anger still resonating within her.

She always does, though, because that is what he taught her to do. She understands it mostly as "a partner thing," as much as a friend thing. Their lives could end at any time, both of which they have experienced far too many times. She still believes psychology is a soft science, and resents that he thinks she only agrees when it is convenient to her, but their sessions have shown her the importance of not leaving things unsaid. Because of that, she always forgives him before they exit or re-enter his SUV and tries, to some extent, make sure he knows she forgives him.

But, she knows she forgives him for a more important reason than that. She never believed in love. Neurological chemicals can easily trick someone into believing there is a further attachment to someone and bliss in their presence with the release of dopamine and other hormones. Despite her beliefs, despite her scientific rationalizations, she knows now that it is something more. He convinced her, has shown her love, grace, and honesty when she does not believe she deserves it, especially since she is uncertain as how to reciprocate his acts and expose her feelings.

She is still learning, even now. Until she learns what to do, what to say, and how to act, she will be looking to him for guidance. Maybe that will only be a few months, maybe the rest of the time they have together. She does not believe in forever, but if possible, she would want to spend her forever with only him. She simply needs the _right_ opportunity to show him.


End file.
